Monday, January 05, 2015

JANUARY 2015 Letter LIVING WELL

Happy New Year!

As we begin the new year, we can reflect on the year past and look to the coming year.

It’s a great time to really see how we have grown in our faith and its practice. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6)

For all of YOU who have prayed and supported us in 2014, we see YOUR faith in the Lord and YOUR love for us and for the families we touch with God’s love, both here and in Zambia.

How have YOU demonstrated faith through LOVE 
with those that YOU are the closest?

God created man and woman to have an intimate relationship with Him first, then with each other. The family unit was intended to be the means by which faith was passed from one generation to another. The family is the delivery system of His Heart to those who come after us. The family was created before the church. The family is be a domestic church. “The Church” is a gathering of domestic churches. The strength of the family defines the strength of the church. The family is where God’s love is best nurtured and lived.

Yet, most families today leave the spiritual development of their family to the church. They want the church to do their job. Only 5% of families today have a plan for the spiritual teaching, training, and development of faith in their home with their children. Unfortunately, most parents don’t know how to begin or what to do. When our children were young, we faced the same dilemma.

A church that is truly devoted to sharing the gospel and spiritual transformation must be intentional in strengthening marriages and equipping parents for leading and developing faith in their children or others in their sphere of influence.

Impress them on your children.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7)

First the commandment to love God with all your heart, soul, and strength must be on YOUR heart. Then YOU impress them on YOUR children. Consider:
  • How have YOU seen the Lord work in YOUR heart during the last year? 
  • Do YOU have a testimony of faith beyond YOUR salvation? 
  • Do YOU recognize God’s love and grace in YOUR life every day? 
  • Do YOU communicate and demonstrate God’s love and grace to each other and to YOUR children wholeheartedly?
Our church is beginning a year devoted to the family. Will YOU join us in focusing on how to pass YOUR faith to the next generation? See our next post!

Please pray for us as we lead this endeavor. Thank YOU for YOUR prayers and support so that we may continue to lead our community and those in Zambia in sharing the gospel through God’s primary institution, the family.

We will lead another team to minister to the children in an Africa slum in Zambia.

Will you go with us? 
Apply by January 15th.

Click for more info.

Click here for an application.

Our love in Christ,
Donna and Ed Edwards

P.S. Please join us in praying for the team God is raising up for Mission Zambia 2015 and for His provision for 2015!

The water that I will give him will become in him
a well of water springing up to eternal life.
John 4:14b

Living Well is a life source, not a life style.